Conventionally, for a cathode of an alkaline battery, a mixture of a high-concentration alkaline electrolytic solution (a high-concentration aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, which may contain zinc oxide or the like as required) and zinc powder and/or zinc alloy powder, etc., has been used principally. In order to prevent sedimentation of the zinc powder or the like in the alkaline electrolytic solution, and to increase the frequencies of contact for zinc, it has been proposed to use as a thickener cross-linked branched poly(meth)acrylic acids and salts of the same, carboxyvinyl polymer, carboxymethyl cellulose, and salts of the same, having various diameters (Patent Documents 1 to 3).
[Patent Document 1] JP 3371532 B
[Patent Document 2] JP 6(1994)-260171 A
[Patent Document 3] JP 2775829 B